So yes I know its been awhile, I have been busy like everyone else with life, kids, new ventures and well just trying to keep it all together. While things never go the way you expected, which for me this year has been full of that!! A quote that has helped me through this very different year (YES I LOVE A GOOD QUOTE) is:

Being Defeated is often a Temporary Condition,

Giving Up is what makes it Permanent!

Looking forward to the fall, full of New Beginnings and Fresh Starts!!!!

Mandy

I am gearing up for the fall weather, working on projects around my house and waiting on some cool weather so I can at least put some pumpkins in a bowl! I love a bowl of those cute little pumpkins:)

Something else I am getting ready for is Our Fall Family Mini Session. We, at The Vintage Company, are teaming up once again with Jessica Brenner for a Mini Session. We are going to use our vintage furniture and props to give your family picture a special touch.

Mandy

I have been so busy lately, picking and painting right up until the final minutes. I did it all for this weekend, the 38th Annual TAWASI Antiques and Collectibles Show. I went set up today and let me tell you, that setting up my own booth is almost as exciting as looking at everyone else's. Its going to be a great show, looking forward to meeting lots of new people and seeing old friends.

Here are a couple of pics of the booth today. Its not completely done, so your just going to have to come by too see all the goodies:)

Hey mom, its not the same without you this year:)

Mandy

Hope everyone is having a good weekend so far. Its been a very rainy one here but I don't mind it so much, its a good time to catch up on inside stuff:) I am waiting on some fabric to come in that I ordered from Décor Steals, I am really excited to get it in and figure out what I am going to do with it, drapes for living? curtains in kitchen? pillows? No matter what I do with it, I love having a sewing project for the fall!

But on to the pick of the week....Crystal and I were able to pick at an amazing old warehouse in the heart of NOLA a few weeks ago. There was so much to look at that I could've just sat there for awhile just to take it all in. It would've made a beautiful venue for that vintage/industrial wedding, but that's another idea for another post!

Under a bunch of old bricks and scrap metal were these beautiful carts. Now while they were in need of some cleaning and tlc, which most anything I buy these days is. I saw so much potential! So we loaded it in the suburban and brought it home, and this is how it turned out!

The yellow color is really so unique and it just pops so well against the old rust. The wood cleaned up so beautifully, after a good scrubbing and oil it just looks so warm and inviting. Now if you are saying to yourself that's nice but what do you do with that. Let me give you an idea:)

Mandy

Hello everyone, hope everyone had a good weekend. I certainly did, just enjoying the last days of summer with family!

This morning I have a question for you all. Is there anything that you own that you would have a hard time parting with, no matter how much money someone offered you? I asked this question because the other evening we were watching American Pickers and we have all seen this happen over and over again of this show. Mike and Frank are offering this person a crazy amount of money for their prized possession and they just keep saying "NO!" This is when my husband usually says "Oh my I can't believe they won't take that!" Then he turns to me and asks "Is there anything that you own that you wouldn't be able to sell for that price?" Until now I never really have had one thing (besides my wedding ring or family momentos) that I would have a hard time selling for the right price, that is until now.....................................drum roll please.............................

I am in LOVE with this piece... It is the perfect warm, industrial rustic cabinet. It has so much character and charm. I love the function of it also, my office supplies look wonderful in it.

You may have noticed from the before picture that I did not paint this a color and that is because after I started sanding and cleaning the dirt and grime off, I fell in love with what it was. The natural wood peeking through the paint was something that you can't achieve with fresh paint. So I put a good coat of poly on it and called it DONE!

So how much money would I take in exchange for this beauty, its hard to say I just hope if that day ever comes they don't ask my husband, I don't think he loves it as much as I do:)

Mandy

I haven't done one of these in awhile, but I have picked up a couple of treasures recently that are pretty special. The one I am going to share today is not super unique. You can find them pretty easily, either on craigslist, etsy or a local garage sale. The question most people ask is, "what do I do with it?" They usually take up a good bit of space, don't work and like this one, weighs a TON!

The Classic Typewriter!

This typewriter is a beauty. It has such a masculine quality that really gives it a bold presence, especially in photos!

So what do I do with this thing that weighs a TON and isn't really usable to write my first novel?

Take pictures with it, of course.

If you would like to see all the pictures from this Vintage Styled Bridal Shoot click on the link below,

It may not have felt exactly like spring these past few days, but we know its close. So its time for spring cleaning, projects at home and spring pictures. There is nothing cuter than kids posing for spring pictures. That's why The Vintage Company was so excited to partner up with Jessica Brenner and do a vintage mini shoot. A mini shoot lasts only 15 minutes, you get to choose your vintage style and you get edited photos on a cd to use as you like:)

So you ever have those days, weeks or even months that you just don't feel very inspired? I don't think I am the only one who feels like that! I hope not!! Sometimes I work on a project so long that I just get burnt out with it. I feel the need to change projects to fill inspired again. Or sometimes just a little vacation is all that is needed, even if I don't go anywhere. Just giving myself the OK to enjoy a lazy Sunday is sometimes vacation enough to get me inspired for Monday.

But all in all, no matter what you can't quit, you have to keep going that's why my quote of the day is...

This weekend was The South Louisiana Bridal Expo at the Houma Civic Center. This was the first bridal show for "The Vintage Company" and it was a great success. We met lots of fantastic brides who were loving all our vintage goodies.

We shared a booth with a good friend of ours, not to mention a talented photographer, Jessica Brenner. If you haven't already, head over to our website and check out all the new things happening at The Vintage Company.

I picked up this piece at a local estate sale and what excited me the most about this piece was that it was going to be all mine!! I wasn't going to sell it or paint it with the intention that one day I would sell it, it was going to paint it to suit my taste. While it may instantly scream uck to some of you out there, it screamed pottery barn to me. I pictured it in my home office holding all my office supplies.

Now it definitely needs some work, like a serious cleaning. It also has a little bit of a smell that I'm not to fond of, but otherwise I know its going to be beautiful.

The reason this is titled "just a before" is because that's all I have, is a before. I haven't touched it, yet! I'm not in a rush for this piece, and I actually enjoy looking and thinking about a piece for a little while. I like to picture every color of the rainbow and think about all the possibilities. Anyone else like that? Any ideas on color? Let me know what you think!

About Me

My name is Mandy and I love finding something old, outdated and giving it a new life using paint. The process I use to restore my furniture is an Art. Not only do I tediously pick and build every piece by hand but I only get pieces that I truely love. If I love a piece of furniture I will spend the time that is needed to hand-paint, distress, sand and wax every nook and cranny.